Since the registrar is the sole means through which the owner controls the domain, transferring to a new registrar can change who has access to manageing the domain and how they make changes. This includes managing the domain's ownership information and nameserver delegation, so the security of the process is an important consideration. There are 2 primary means by which the security of transfers is protected: the registrar lock and confirmation by the admin contact.

Most TLDs provide the option of locking a domain so that changes cannot be made to it. For a registrar transfer to be completed the domain must be unlocked. Many registrars keep domains locked by default to prevent domain slamming or other accidental transfers and protect the ownership of the domain. The registrar will have provided a way for the client to unlock the domain for changes and transfers.

When a registrar transfer is submitted, an email is sent to the admin contact asking that they confirm the transfer. The admin contact must confirm their intention to transfer the domain to the new registrar before it can go through, though the details of how this is done varies with the TLD of the domain since each registry sets its own procedures. Many registries require an authorization code to complete the transfer requests. If an authorization code is required you will need to contact the domains current registrar and request that it be sent to you.